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Anchorage, Alaska
USA
1340 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2006 : 12:17 PM
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Kcountry, myself and four others spent friday to sunday slogging up Northover Ridge from south to north, on what Andrew and I have since voted the Most Spectacular Hike in the Canadian Rockies.
We weren't able to leave the trailhead till 7:40pm on the friday night, which I thought wouldn't be a problem since it's *only* 10 km up to Aster Lake. What I failed to realize was the tortuous path over deadfall around Hidden Lake and the ascent up 600 vertical metres of scree and slippery wet rockbands would add a little time. Aster Lake campground is amidst mounds of barren bedrock, scree and raging waterfalls so the fact we were able to find it in the dark, at 12:30pm, still amazes me. It wasn't without a few heated exchanges in frustration over which direction to hike.
Not much to see there:
So the following day we slept in a bit, and awoke to sunny skies over Aster Lake and Warrior Mountain:
  
 
... and began the ascent up to the Ridge marking the beginning of the 12 km day.
  
   
Once you leave Aster Lake for the ridge, the walk around the lake and across the wide gravel braidplain is the last flat stretch you'll enjoy for a long time. Following that, you proceed west, directly up a grassy hill and then up a draw to the north. The trail is visibly worn into the rocks as it dodges around the right side of a snow cornice.
You soon reach a local maximum with a (badly vandalized) sign indicating you are crossing into British Columbia. Northover Lakes become visible to the left, in a small bowl which drains dramatically over a spillpoint and down several hundreds of metres in the Joffre Creek valley. After passing the lakes on your left, you ascend again up a couple hundred vertical metres to the actual ridge, and catch glimpses of Northover Glacier beyond.
 
Kcountry...
 
Fantastic views of the dramatic drop in elevation from Waka Nambe and Northover Lakes, down into the Palliser/Joffre river systems in BC...
  
Northover Glacier to the east...
High winds picked up during the ridge walk, getting stronger as the ridge got narrower...
  
This is the section which the following picture does not do justice. The drop on either side is at least a couple hundred feet, near vertical. Adam managed to sprint across during a brief pause in the cross winds, but like everybody else I crawled across clutching the rock for dear life.
Looking back at a lone hiker behind us:
Looking toward the rest of the group, with Onslow and Defender Mountains in the distance, plus a close-up:
 
Three Isle Lake, far below to the north:
The descent to Three Isle Lake:
  
Three Isle Lake appears to be drained underground, through fractures in the limestone bedrock and empties into the creek valley far below. The water temperature was warm enough to allow for swimming, and the campground was nice, though I don't remember much after I took a severe beating from some Scottish guy and his German friend Jagermeister  
The final day out... I was shocked to see how much of an elevation drop there was from Three Isle Lake to the east. The headwall must be about 300 vertical metres.
 
I cruised ahead of the rest of the group so I could retrieve the truck from the Upper Lake parking lot and come back to pick up the group at the Interlakes parking lot. As always, when hiking alone, I came across wildlife:
   
These little cuties, which appeared on the trail about 300 metres east of the bike lock-up area, were probably less than 100 lbs and appeared more curious than threatening, as they kept trying to approach me and I kept pondering the whereabouts of their mother. Fortunately, after a few tense minutes they wandered off trail and I managed to squeak by.
The trip concluded with an amazing burger and beer at Boulton Store on our way out of the Kananaskis area. Overall, a highly reccomended trip - as long as bears and heights don't scare you.
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"Hey Brian, I got my tax return back. I'm getting an Audi!"
"Uh, Peter, there's a 'T' at the end. You're getting audited."
"No, Brian, it's a foreign car. The 'T' is silent. Sweet, I'm getting an Audi!" |
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Calgary, AB
Canada
252 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2006 : 12:39 PM
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Another awesome TR, NA. 
Someday I'll likely plan a trip to somewhere near Aster Lake. Not looking forward to the deadfall near Hidden Lake. Close call with the bears. Thanks for sharing! |
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in the valley, BC
Canada
1459 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2006 : 12:42 PM
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Great TR. Beautiful country.
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"Smile, it is the key that fits the lock to everybody's heart." |
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 Herbal tea drinkin, tree huggin, view seeking, tortoise paced, ultralite wannabe
Vancouver, BC
Canada
2847 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2006 : 12:42 PM
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Beautiful trip  I woulda crawled that ridge spot, too! |
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Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13460 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2006 : 12:56 PM
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What beautiful country I would not know, just love those wide open spaces up there. Great photos..
Regards, |
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Calgary, AB
Canada
498 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2006 : 1:21 PM
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Great TR and pics. Was it really 12:30 we arrived at Aster Lake? I thought it was only 11:30? We must have been waundering around in the dark for quite some time. Strange how the pictures don't do justice to the narrow portion of the ridge. Now on to the next adventure....
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"We don't slow down because we get old, we get old because we slow down" - anonymous |
Edited by - kcountry on 07/31/2006 1:34 PM |
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Anchorage, Alaska
USA
1340 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2006 : 1:39 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by kcountry
Great TR and pics. Was it really 12:30 we arrived at Aster Lake? I thought it was only 11:30? We must have been waundering around in the dark for quite some time. Strange how the pictures don't do justice to the narrow portion of the ridge. Now on to the next adventure....
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"We don't slow down because we get old, we get old because we slow down" - anonymous
Pretty sure it was well after 12:00 because it was 1:00am once we got our tents set up and dealt with the bear locker...
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"Hey Brian, I got my tax return back. I'm getting an Audi!"
"Uh, Peter, there's a 'T' at the end. You're getting audited."
"No, Brian, it's a foreign car. The 'T' is silent. Sweet, I'm getting an Audi!" |
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2012 : 1:30 PM
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| This looks fantastic. My fiance and I are looking at doing either this trail or the Iceline trail for our honeymoon in late August. Do you know the Iceline trail? Any recommendations? |
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Northover Ridge, July 28-30/2006
